Trelawny crash leaves family hurt

A grieving Jenilyn Neish, mother of the deceased Walford Jackson, who was killed in a road accident on Friday, sits beside her granddaughter Shantavia Jackson, the child of another son, at her home near the accident scene.

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Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer

SALT MARSH, Trelawny:

"Mi uncle dead," were the words of three-year-old Shantavia Jackson as she lamented the death of Walford Jackson who, along with Garfield Plummer, perished along the Salt Marsh main road on Friday night.

The men were mowed down while they walked along the side of the road.

Jenilyn Neish, the grief-stricken mother of Jackson, told The Gleaner while she sat surrounded by children in her yard approximately 200 metres from the scene of the accident on Saturday, "He was a jovial person who would give jokes wherever he goes."

The deceased's brother, Verley Jackson, said that his trademark was deejaying and that was his indicator of his arrival to anywhere most times.

Jackson was 29 and hadn't yet started a family of his own.

Sonia Plummer, a sister to the other dead man - Garfield Plummer - who was a 35-year-old fisherman said, "He was a peaceful person, always making peace wherever he went." She said that, "Up to now, I still can't believe that he is dead." He is survived by two children.

Meanwhile, a protest for road safety erupted on Saturday after the death of Plummer and Jackson. The resident said that just over one week ago two other persons died along the same main road. They blamed the loss of lives on improper use of the road.

Damian Jarrett, a spokesperson for the group, said, "It is a built-up area or a community with children, and motorists must respect this".

He added that the road needs to be lit with streetlights while the main junction needs a stoplight as commuters coming from the direction of Montego Bay, St James, are left on the left side of the road by the public passenger vehicles, and most have to cross to the right which is putting them in danger.

Phillip Service, councillor for the Martha Brae Division, echoed the sentiments of the people and wants quick action on some of their requests.